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Religions  of 
China 


Part  of  Exhibit  on  Religions  of  the  World  shown  at 
STUDENT  VOLUNTEER  MOVEMENT  CONVENTION 
Kansas  City,  Mo.,  December  31, 1913-January  4,  1914 


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Religions  of  China* 


3csus  said  “T  am  the  lUay,  the  truth  and  the  Eife.” 


Development  ot  Religion  in  China. 


Elements  in  China’s  Primitive  Religion. 

Conception  of  a Personal  Supreme  God — “SHANG-TI.” 
Ceaselessly  watchful,  rewarding  good,  punishing  evil. 

In  His  presence  dwell  the  spirits  of  ancestors,  taking  cognizance  of  their 
descendants,  ministered  to  by  filial  sacrifices. 

Many  other  spirits,  often  identified  with  nature-forces,  but  all  subordinate 
to  the  Supreme  God. 

Divination  used  to  ascertain  the  will  of  the  spirts. 

The  Emperor,  God’s  Vicegerent,  responsible  to  Him  and  to  the  people. 
Divine  right  of  the  Emperor  to  rule  only  so  long  as  he  ruled  righteously. 
No  priesthood.  Worship  offered  to  SHANG-TI  by  the  Emperor  only. 


Lao-tsze. 

600  B.C. 

His  teaching  supplied  the  supernatural 
element  lacking  in  that  of  Confucius. 

He  taught  the  truths  of  the  mystics. 
Empty  to  receive.  - Still  to  achieve. 
Humble  to  learn. 

But  taught  them  as  speculative  truths. 
His  goal  had  much  in  common  with 
the  Hindu  idea  of  absorption 
But  no  Chinese  religion  lays  stress  on 
the  beyond. 

His  cry  was 

Back  to  simplicity  and  content. 


Confucius. 

550  B.C. 

Confucius  accepted  the  religious  ideas 
of  the  ancients.  His  teaching  was  an 
honest  revolt  against  the  excessive 
spiritualism  of  his  time. 

He  looked  on  man 
chiefly  as  a member  of  society 
and  did  not  concern  himself  with  his 
spiritual  nature, 

nor  as  to  whence  he  came  nor  whither 
he  was  going. 

His  cry  was 

Back  to  the  golden  age  of  order  and 
good  government. 


Buddha. 

Circ.  500  B.C. 

Buddhism  entered  China  from  India 
circ.  67  A.D.  and  rapidly  took  on 
Chinese  features, 

freely  combining  Buddhist  rites  with 
ancestral  worship; 

self-discipline  and  contemplation  giving 
place  to  ceremonies  and  idol-worship, 
and  the  abstract  Nirvana  to  a material 
“Western  Heaven.” 


modern  Religion  in  China 


is  a blend  of  all  three  with  an  underlying  stratum  of  Animism. 


Taoism. 

Taoism  has  degenerated  into  a system 
of  Magic,  Divination  and  Super- 
stition. 

It  has  gods  for  all  the  forces  of  nature 
and  for  every  occupation. 

It  controls  the  rites  of  the  dead  and 
determines  lucky  sites  and  days, 


Yet  its  high  moral  precepts  still 
fluence  Chinese  tninking. 


Confucianism. 

Confucianism  supplies  the  Chinese 
with  their  system  of  Ethibs. 

It  regulates  conduct,  mo  als,  and 
manners. 

It  builds  its  social  fabric  r >und  An- 
cestral Worship 

And  bases  its  theory  of  the  nation  on 
the  family  as  a unit. 

Confucianism  has  held  mai  through 
his  moral  sense 

But  has  never  satisfied  the  nejeds  of  the 
human  soul. 


N.B. — Mohammedans  in  China  number  10-20  millions, 


greatly  influenced  Ch  ma. 


Buddhism. 

Buddhism  in  its  goddess,  Kwan-yin 
meets  the  craving  for 

a conception  of  mercy, 
and  in  the  realism  of  its  heaven  and 
its  eighteen  hells 

offers  a practical  solution  of  the  Future. 


Vegetarian  Sects  whose  aim  is  purifica- 
tion, indicate  the  existence  of  a 
sense  of  sin.  Among  their  earnest 
followers  are  many  women. 


but  Islamic  thought  has  not  hitherto 


China’s  Danger. 

What  can  avert 

the  Appalling  Spiritual  Disaster 
of  this  Great  Race  going  over  to 
Naturalism? 

Has  the  Church  Faith  enough 
to  present 

the  Wealth  of  Fulfilling  Truth  in 
Jesus  Christ 
with  Convincing  Power? 


China’s  Deed. 

What  this  Great  Race  needs 
above  all  else  is 
That  Elemental  Faith 
which  is  surer  of  Eternity  than  Time 
and  which  draws  from  those  Exhaustless 
Fountains  so  great  a Vitality  of 
Love  for  Men 

that  Morality  ceases  to  be  a Law 
because  it  is  the  very  Breath  of  Life. 
And  how  can  such  a Faith  come  to  her 
unless 

it  be  re-awakened  in  the  Church? 


R Call  to  Prayer. 

44  O God,  Thou  hast  made  man  for  Thyself  and  he 
cannot  rest  till  he  find  rest  in  Thee.” 

44  Therefore  I bow  my  knees  unto 
The  Father, 

from  Whom  every  family  in  heaven  and  earth  is  named 
that  He  would  grant  you 
44  Power  ....  Faith  ....  Love.'* 

44  Freely  ye  have  received 
Freely  give.” 


Che  Coaching  of  Confucius  and  of  Christ. 


COMPARED  AS  TO 


God,  distant  and  unknowable. 
God,  Just  Ruler. 


Therefore  he  is  self-sufficing. 


Sin  is  Violation  of  Order. 
Repentance  weakens  Self-Respect. 
There  is  no  place  for  Forgiveness. 


Through  Self-Cultivation 
by  Study  of  the  Classics, 
Practice  of  the  Five  Virtues, 
Loyalty  to  the  Five  Relationships 
and 

Imitation  of  Good  Examples. 


PRODUCING 


God 


Man 

has  a Divine  Nature 


God  brought  near  in  Christ. 
God,  the  Father,  Almighty. 


Therefore  he  needs  God. 


Sin 


Sin  is  Separation  from  God. 

“ If  we  confess  our  9ins 

He  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive  us  our  sin9.’ 


The  Way  of  Life 


By  a New  Birth 
through  Death  to  Sin 
into 

Life  in  God. 

“As  many  as  received  Him  to  them  gave  He  power  to 
become  the  sons  of  God,  which  were  born  . . . not 
of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God.” 

PRODUCING 


The  Ideal  Character 


The  Superior  Man. 


The  New  Man. 


“He  whom  no  emergency,  however  great,  can  drive  from 
his  principles,  is  the  superior  man  indeed.” 

“What  you  do  not  want  done  to  yourself  do  not  do  to 
others." 

“Recompense  injury  with  justice." 

“The  superior  man  does  not  associate  with  persons  who 
are  not  good  in  themselves.” 


"If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a new  creation. 

“Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  . . . with  all  thy  mind.” 

“This  is  My  commandment  that  yc  love  one  another,  even 
as  I have  loved  you.” 


“The  Friend  of  Publicans  and  Sinners.” 


The  Supreme  Motive 


Loyalty  to  the  Principle  of  Order. 


"The  Love  of  Christ  constraineth  us.” 


The  Future 

Personality  merged  in  the  Family  and  the  Race.  Personality  perfected  in  Fellowship  with  God. 


Practical  Conclusion 


No  Adequate  Moral  Dynamic. 

“I  am  not  equal  to  it.” 


Victorious  Power. 


Confucius. 


14 1 can  do  all  things  in  Christ.” 

St.  Paul. 


Part  of  Exhibit  on  Religions  of  the  World  shown  at  Student  Volun  eer  Movement  Convention, 


ity,  Mo.,  December  31,  1913-January  4,  1914. 


Reference  books  suggested: 

Alexander,  G.  G.,  Lao-tsze  the  Great  Thinker. 
De  Groot,  J.  J.  M.,  Religion  In  China. 

De  Groot.  J.  J.  M.,  The  Religion  of  the  Chinese. 
Douglas,  R.  K..  Confucianism  and  Taoism. 
Legge,  J..  Life  and  Teaching  of  Confucius. 

Ross.  John.  The  Original  Religion  of  China. 
Soothill.  Wm.  E.,  The  Analects  of  Confucius. 

Soo thill,  Wm.  E.,  The  Three  Religions  of  China. 


